WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan

The role of a WHO/Europe country office is to respond to requests from the host country to support policy-making for sustainable health development, taking a holistic health-system approach. This includes providing guidance, building up local relationships to implement technical cooperation, making standards and agreements, and ensuring that public health measures are coordinated and in place during crises.

The WHO Country Office, Kazakhstan was established in 1994 in Almaty. It was officially accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 2007. Before 2009, the WHO Country Office had two offices: a head office in Astana, the capital, and a sub-office in Almaty. Since 2009, the two offices have been consolidated into one Country Office in Astana.

The Country Office is the focal point for WHO activities in Kazakhstan. The country team consists of five people including two experts on:

mother and child health and reproductive and sexual health;

public health/climate change effects on health.

The priorities for the Country Office are set out in the biennial collaborative agreement between WHO/Europe and the host country. The Office implements the agreement in close collaboration with national institutions and international partner agencies.